There are moments in life that quietly announce themselves as turning points. Not loud. Not dramatic. But powerful. Monday, March 2, 2026, is one of those moments. My wife, @Renee Chambers-Liciaga, begins rehearsals for Jelly’s Last Jam. The production runs March 31 through April 26 at the historic Bristol Riverside Theatre in Bristol, Pennsylvania — a stage that has held decades of storytelling, music, and memory. And for me, this is more than a rehearsal start date. This is a defining moment. For several years, Renee has been doing what strong artists do when the spotlight shifts. She has been teaching. Choreographing. Directing. Coaching. Elevating others. There is power in that role. Quiet power. The kind that does not always receive applause but shapes generations of performers and storytellers. But now, she steps back onto the stage. That takes courage. To return. To risk. To stand in the light again after years of serving from the wings. That is Living Strong. Living Strong is not about constant forward motion. It is about evolution. It is about honoring every season and recognizing when it is time to step into the next one. This is not a comeback. This is growth. This is alignment between calling and courage. The musical she is stepping into carries weight. Jelly’s Last Jam tells the story of Jelly Roll Morton, born Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe, one of the early architects of jazz. Morton famously claimed he invented jazz. Whether literal or poetic, what cannot be denied is this: he shaped it, structured it, and helped bring it from the streets of New Orleans into formal composition. Jazz, before it was accepted, was raw expression. Improvisation. Survival music born from a cultural crossroads of African-American rhythm, Creole heritage, Caribbean influence, ragtime structure, and blues tradition. Morton was brilliant. Confident. Controversial. Complicated. He wrote pieces like King Porter Stomp and Original Jelly Roll Blues, compositions that helped define early jazz structure. He was among the first to insist that jazz could be written down and arranged without losing its soul.

About six years ago, I had the privilege of interviewing 37 Starlight Express alumni. We laughed. We remembered. We reflected on what that season of life meant to each of us. Since then, some of those voices have gone quiet. Before I begin sharing new interviews as part of Voices of Starlight, I want to pause and honor the alumni and members of our Starlight family who are no longer with us. This video is for them. We honor: Michael Sundin Michael Scott Gregory Nils Seibaek Kevyn Waby Michael Carl King Stevie Woods Abraham Osuagwu Tony Millett Jimmie Earl Perry Marc-Anthony Satan Michael Staniforth William "Bill" Christopher Frey Annemiek Kloek Ken Rose Christopher Todd Danny Strayhorn Tom Jobe Mark Villa Rodney McGuire Victor L. Butler Barry K. Bernal Glenn Neate Philip Clayton Stephanie Lawrence Derick McNally Erin Lordan Tobby Lee Hutaff Ricardo (Villareal) Santo Roger Kachel Robert S Drummond III Lovette George Martin Boothe David Reynolds Matt Beadle Ray Strachan Geoffrey Abbott Richard Amiel Dustin Dubreuil Rebekka Gibbs Chris Hornby Steven M Schultz Neale Pirie Wilton Anderson Frankie Braxton Maru Duenas Sean Garvey Kevin Neil Cheatham Simon Caine Richie Pitts Graham Martin Samantha Foxx Nolan Federick Lon Satton Preston Simpson Kirsty Wone Ron Garza C.C. Brown Tim Noble David Enriquez Michal Fraley Shezwae Powell Eddie Kemp Philip Edwards Marvin Engran Ron Morgan Richard Bodkin Spencer Stafford Ian Freeman Lee Lomas Paul Reeves Ian Cross Each name represents a life that helped shape something extraordinary. For those of us who were part of Starlight Express, we understand what that bond meant — the discipline, the travel, the late nights, the friendships that crossed countries and decades. And to the young performers skating the show today — and those who will in the future — you are carrying forward something built by these very artists. You are standing on the shoulders of people who gave their talent, their strength, and their heart to this production.

I just had the honor of being interviewed by my good friend @Mark Murphy on his podcast, TravelTube. Mark and I go back a long way — early 2000s. Two decades of knowing each other, watching each other grow, evolve, build, adapt. So this conversation wasn’t just an interview. It was history. It was friendship. It was real. On the podcast, we talked about travel — not just destinations, but what travel does to you. How it stretches you. How it humbles you. How it opens your eyes. We talked about the work Mark is doing through TravelTube. He’s built a platform that supports travel advisors and gives them a voice — helping them better serve their clients with real insight, real experience, and real expertise. He understands the value of the professional travel advisor and continues to champion their role in shaping powerful travel experiences. I respect that deeply. We also talked about my book, Living Strong: The Power of Defining Moments, and how my years traveling the world as a performing artist shaped my mindset. Those seasons on the road weren’t just about stages and spotlights. They were about growth. Perspective. Learning how to adapt in unfamiliar environments. I truly believe everyone should travel. It changes you. It forces you to see beyond your own neighborhood, your own assumptions, your own limits. And woven through all of it was this idea of Living Strong — building a mindset that allows you to move through new places, new seasons, and new challenges with purpose and resilience. I’m grateful for the friendship. I’m grateful for the conversation. And I’m grateful for people who continue to build platforms that serve others. If you want to learn more about the work Mark is doing, visit TravelTube.com. Keep moving. Keep exploring. Keep Living Strong.

https://youtube.com/shorts/_A6kDYRddXc?si=GfpI503IvPAy-v_i

Hello Community, hope everyone's staying warm and enjoying the week so far. It has been cold out in our office garage.... but this is my workout area for the next few weeks. Z